Memories
by Orion.R.Black
Summary: Memories slip by, little by little, as time goes on. It's unavoidable, but for Kikumaru Eiji, time's going by faster than he had ever imagined. Final chapter up
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi

**Author's Note: **Um…I'm trying to take a break from my usual humor, etc genre and taking a stab at something more serious. Tell me how I do? Short chapters most likely.

* * *

"Eiji!" Fuji waved to the redhead who was sitting outside the school building with his textbooks and a stack of papers. "You're early today."

"Ah! Fujiko!" Eiji spared a second of his time to jump up and give his friend a hug. "Forgot to do my homework last night, so I'm trying to finish now, so Sensei doesn't keep me back again." He laughed sheepishly.

Just then, the bell rang. Eiji sighed as he collected his papers. "Might as well tell Buchou I'm going to be late." His bright smile was backing place. "Come one, let's go to class." He got up and started walking ahead.

"Eiji…" Fuji gave him a weird look. "Class is the other way, unless you found a shortcut that would've saved us the year's worth of walking."

Eiji started, a confused expression on his face. "I knew that!" He grabbed Fuji's sleeve and pulled him the other way. The two of them headed to class.

The day proceeded pretty normally. Eiji and Fuji would daydream in the back of the room, until the teacher would call on Eiji for something, in which Fuji would be there to whisper him the answer. Eiji had to stay back, as usual, for not finishing his homework. Fuji went ahead and told Tezuka-buchou that Eiji would be late to tennis practice. Tennis practice was where it all fell apart: Eiji never showed up.

Fuji walked home in silence. Not having homework done never got Eiji held back after class so long it cut into tennis practice. Maybe Sensei was PMSing. Or maybe something happened to Eiji! Stopping right in the middle of the road, Fuji got out his cell phone and immediately called Eiji's number.

"Hoi hoi!" Eiji's cheery voice answered, lifting a huge weight from Fuji's heart. He cut Eiji off.

"Eiji, are you alright? Did something happen?"

There was a pause on the other end. "…Fujiko? No, nothing happened. What's wrong?"

Fuji sighed in relief. "You never showed up at tennis practice, so I got worried."

"Tennis!" Eiji's voice was suddenly panicky, "I forgot about tennis practice—" _"Eiji_,_"_ A different voice sounded in the background. _"Didn't you remember? I told you no phone calls until you finish cleaning your room." _"Hai…Ja, Fujiko." He hung up.

Fuji stood there, speechless. Eiji seemed to be more forgetful than usual lately. Homework was understandable; after all, he never did seem to like doing it. But what in the world could make him forget tennis?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **See Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Er, did a little research, and now I'm not sure if Alzheimer's will work in this story -sweatdrop- If I don't manage to work it in somehow, I might scrap this story

* * *

Eiji lay on his bed looking at all the homework he needed to get done. He picked up his history homework first and stared at the page. Nothing made sense. He frowned slightly. That happened to be his best subject, and he had actually paid attention when Sensei taught the lesson this morning. He sighed as he tapped his pencil on his chin. His older brother looked up at his own studies at his desk at Eiji. "Oy, what's wrong?"

Eiji leaned over the side of the top of the bunk bed. "I'm not getting this, and I know I should know it. And lots of things lately, I've been forgetting when I shouldn't."

His brother struggled to keep a straight face. "Maybe you're just getting stupider."

"Nii-san!" Eiji threw his pillow at him, who caught it, trying to control his laughter. He looked thoughtful, "Well, Eiji, you have been a bit out of it lately. It might be just stress. Go to sleep early instead of staying up all night playing videogames or something. That might help."

"Eiji considered this. "I haven't been that busy lately, but it might just be catching up now. I guess I could use the excuse to sleep in in the mornings though. Nya, arigato, Nii-san!"

His older brother shook his head, a slight smile on his face, and turned back to his work as Eiji gave up on his homework and climbed into bed. He quietly turned off the lights, whispering a soft, "G'night, Eiji," and slipped out the room. A worried frown had replaced the usual grin he wore. There was something he needed to discuss with the family.

* * *

"Eiji. Eiji!" A voice floated around lazily, cutting into his dream. Eiji woke up reluctantly. The dream was hazy, already slipping from his mind. It was a nice dream though, that he was sure about. Eiji looked down and was surprised to find his whole family surrounding the bunk, each wearing a curious expression.

* * *

Fuji looked over at the empty seat beside his. _Eiji, what's wrong?_


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm not coming out." Eiji's pitiful voice shook with sobs and hiccups. Fuji tried again, "Please, Eiji. Everything's going to be fine…" "No! I'm going to _die_!" His cry became steadily louder on the other side of the tightly locked door.

Fuji felt as if he were going to cry himself. How could he call himself Eiji's friend when he can't even pull him out of this miserable state? Even Eiji's family couldn't reach him, so they called the one person they though he'd listen to. But he's failed. Fuji bit his lip. "Please, please, Eiji…"

* * *

Eiji sobbed into his pillow. What was he doing here? A perfectly happy, healthy child just yesterday, taken to the hospital to be told something was wrong with him. Alzheimer's. A disease of the brain. It was fatal. He was going to die.

At this thought, fresh tears rolled down Eiji's already wet cheeks, but he didn't have the strength to cry out anymore. He looked towards the door. It was late. His family must've gone by now. But a mummer still sounded behind the wooden barrier of the outside world. Consistently, hour after hour, pleading him to come out. "Fujiko…" Fuji was still here. Even after the others deserted him. He was still here.

* * *

"…Eiji…" Fuji called again. There was no answer. He slumped to the ground, and was vaguely surprised to find ground wet. He wiped his eyes. How long ago did he start crying? "Please…" He won't give up. No matter what happens, Fuji swore he would stand by his best friend.

The lock clicked. Fuji looked up, and there was Eiji. He stood there, swaying precariously, and suddenly collapsed onto Fuji, burying his face into his chest. Crying like a lost child. They held each other tightly, their soft sobs echoing quietly down the dark, long since deserted corridor. Eiji had come to him. Fuji smiled in spite of himself.

"Thank you, Eiji."

* * *

**Author's Note:** –sigh– Three chapters and I just now mention Alzheimer's. Yes, yes, I know it's for old people, but I'll make it work! –cough– Somehow…

Anyways, this chapter is pathetically short –headdesk– Sorry. Three day weekend, so I'll probably have a new chapter up soon!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **A bit longer since it's full of information about Alzheimer's that you'd probably care less about. Information is from Wikipedia, so message me if you find any problems/more information about Alzheimer's

* * *

Fuji let out a trembling sigh. He hadn't realized he was holding his breath. Beside him sat Eiji, who had latched himself onto Fuji's arm, holding on as if it were life itself. Around the room was Eiji's family: Mother, Father, Grandpa, Grandma, his brothers, his sisters. Everyone was here, awaiting the fate of their little boy.

* * *

Matsuda fidgeted nervously as he walked down the corridor. Room 57. Patient: Kikumaru Eiji. He stared at the ceiling as he walked towards the room. Oh, how he dreaded this part of his job, breaking the news to the patient's family. But he was Eiji's doctor, this was his job, and he would do whatever he could to help the family through.

* * *

Fuji started when the door opened, breaking the awful silence. It was the doctor. Fuji studied him critically. He looked a bit young, and Fuji thought ominously that this person had better know what he was doing. The doctor looked around nervously, as if he was a bit unnerved by the number of people in the room. "So?" prompted Fuji.

Matsuda regained his composure quickly, "Um…It's Alzheimer's," he began weakly. Oh, –censored word–. Training during medical school was nothing compared to facing all these faces filled with dread.

"Matsuda–sensei, are you sure?" Eiji's eldest sister asked the doctor, pleadingly.

"Y–yes" Matsuda snapped back to reality, "We first thought it was just stress, as you suggested. But then we went over Eiji's behavioral assessment and cognitive tests. The brain scan confirmed it: Alzheimer's."

The younger of Eiji's brothers stood up angrily, "That can't be. Alzheimer's is something you get when you're old! Eiji's not even out of middle school!"

The doctor anxiously stepped back a pace, just in case any conflict emerges. "It's true that Alzheimer's usually afflicts people over 65 years of age, but a type comes earlier in life: Familial Alzheimer's Disease. It strikes between ages 16 to 65, and that might be what Eiji has."

"What's going to happen?" Interrupted Fuji. He wasn't concerned with all of this meaningless information. It didn't change the fact that Eiji had Alzheimer's.

Matsuda cringed inwardly. This part he didn't like. A bit restless, he explained, "Well…Alzheimer's usually continues between five to twenty years before…" He trailed off and decided to put off what happens after the last few years, "Um…In the early stages, one would experience memory loss, typically recently learned facts." A brief understanding dawned on Eiji's face before the uneasy look was back.

"As the disease advances, one might experience confusion, anger, mood swings, apathy and exhaustion, language breakdown, be withdrawn and long tern memory loss." He paused uncertain of their reaction. "Gradually, minor and major bodily functions are lost, one will be bedridden, and ultimately, it leads to…death."

* * *

The silence that ensued was expected. Eiji's mother was the first to speak up. "There's nothing we can do?"

The doctor shook his head. "Currently, there's no cure for Alzheimer's. But still, mental stimulation, exercise, and a balanced diet are recommended. As for home care, it won't be for a while, but he'll need someone to stay at home and watch him…"

Fuji had stopped listening a while ago. He felt faint just hearing all of this, even if it wasn't meant for him. He must've been shaking pretty badly, for he felt Eiji's hand squeeze his. Fuji looked up, and Eiji gave him a small smile, as if to say, "It'll be fine." But it's not. Nothing's fine. Everything in the world was going wrong.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Getting bored of this fic already –sigh– That's the problem with chaptered stories. But I've got the ending planned out, and a nice last sentence, so I'll finished. Maybe. I'm expecting to anyways


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Ahn…So I'm probably not going to continue this story anymore, but I've decided to share the ending I had in mind the way the story was going. Not Alzheimer's anymore. Thought I could make it work, but I guess it didn't

* * *

Fuji knelt beside his best friend's bed, the only other sound besides the latter's harsh ragged breathing being the beeping of the hospital heart monitor, counting down his last few minutes of life. Fuji held onto Eiji's hand, fully knowing this act would bring no comfort to either Eiji or himself. But he stroke it anyways, wanting to bring back the warmth and happiness of life into Eiji's hand, which was already stone cold, as if Death had decided to receive him bit by bit.

"Eiji…" Fuji softly murmured the name of his best friend, because, as always, it comforted him. He stiffened. Maybe it was his imagination, but thought he saw Eiji's lips move. A response? No, but it couldn't… Fuji stood up suddenly, as if by some instinct; he knew the time had come.

The prolonged beep of the machine pierced straight through his heart. Fuji stumbled, and fell kneeling beside the hospital bed. He reached out to touch Eiji's face one last time, and to close the eyes to spare himself from the cold blank look. His fingers came back warm and wet with tears, though he couldn't remember crying. But no matter, Fuji sank down onto the floor and buried his face in his hands, letting the tears flow freely.

* * *

A lone figure stood in front of a tombstone with fading engravings. One could barely make out: 'Kikumaru Eiji…a cherished…loved…the life and soul of…forever…' The figure left, leaving behind a circlet of chrysanthemums and a handful of apple blossoms strewn about. A whisper lingered in the air before being scattered by the wind.

_**'…Life comes and goes, but Memories are Forever…'**_

–END–


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